Comfort Food Trail, Southwest Indiana

A yummy trip through our southwest corner

It’s no surprise that Midwest Living wrote a feature on all the wonderful places to eat and shop for fresh produce along what they dubbed Indiana’s “Comfort Food Trail.” You’ll want to take at least a couple of days for this delicious tour.

The Blue Heron Vineyard in Cannelton is an excellent way to start your tummy trip. Tour the vineyards and taste their unique wines on serene grounds featuring a large Celtic cross, hand-carved within a stone natural to the hillside. Stay in the bed and breakfast, followed by a delicious breakfast inside the farmhouse or outside on a wooded terrace overlooking the Ohio River.

In Tell City, see how Indiana ArtisanTell City Pretzels are made. Hand-twisted since 1858, you can see the finger imprint on each crunchy treat. Be sure to call ahead for a demonstration.

The main attraction of Evansville’s West Side Nut Club Festival is definitely the food, so be sure to plan your visit Oct. 6 through Oct. 11. You can certainly find standard festival fare, but more adventurous eaters should look for exotic choices like alligator stew, chocolate-covered grasshoppers and brain sandwiches. Spend a day or two to enjoy all the fun: live music, parades and midway.

For a more relaxing stop, treat yourself to the calm and serenity of the New Harmony Inn. Nestled on a bend of the Wabash River, this haven offers a time for reflection and rejuvenation with winding paths, labyrinth gardens, fountains, waterfalls and sculptures. A meal at the inn’s famous Red Geranium Restaurant promises award-winning seasonal American cuisine in a charming and romantic setting. Three dining rooms offer unique experiences, including the Tillich Room that has a panoramic view of a serene lake.

Save room in your vehicle for all the season’s bounty you’ll find in farm-fresh fruit markets along U.S. 41 north of Vincennes. Apple Hill Orchard, known for its 40 varieties of apple, offers so much more than its namesake. Peach season lasts through Labor Day, and you can always buy pies and other treats from the orchard’s full-service bakery. Be sure to try their award-winning cider. As you head north, you can’t miss The Big Peach because of its well-known namesake sculpture in front of the farm market. And, it’s really big! Open mid-May through October, this little Kodak moment spot has been in business for 54 years and offers a variety of fresh and canned produce, candies, jellies and handmade gifts.